


Love, and other pesky things

by HerotheHardWay



Series: When Lockwood met Cubbins [1]
Category: Lockwood & Co. - Jonathan Stroud
Genre: Bisexual Characters, F/M, George is the ultimate BFF, Lucy stubbornly denies her feelings and her eyeballs, M/M, No Spoilers, how George and Lockwood met, past george/lockwood, pre-Holly and Kipps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-04 12:29:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10990965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerotheHardWay/pseuds/HerotheHardWay
Summary: Or, How George and Lockwood met and created best Agency in London.Lucy asks George and Lockwood how the smallest agency in London got started, and there is some discussion of feelings.





	Love, and other pesky things

**Author's Note:**

> Sadly, I don't own Lockwood & Co. or its characters. Also, I have a Lockwood & Co. blog! hmu over  @skullandcarlyle 

“George, how did you and Lockwood meet?” I suddenly asked one morning as Lockwood, George and I sat around eating scones and playing hangman on the thinking cloth. It had just occurred to me that I’d never stopped to think about how the two had started the smallest Agency in London.

 

‘Uh, well—“ George looked uncomfortable and hurriedly turned to wash his plate and cup.

 

Lockwood actually _blushed_ and took such a big bite of scone that he couldn’t close his mouth, and had to sit there chewing and spewing crumbs until he managed to wash it all down with a gulp of tea. “Oh, George, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” Lockwood finally said. “Luce’s been with Lockwood  & Co. quite long enough to know how we got started, don’t you think?”

 

By the interesting shade of pink George’s ears were turning, I could tell that he didn’t exactly agree, but didn’t know how to get out of it. “Erm…yes I suppose so. Lucy, you don’t really want to hear about how we met, do you? It’s pretty boring.”

 

“No, no, please tell me!” I said, leaning forward to put my elbows on the table. “I’m dying to know. George, however did you discover Lockwood? Were you friends before Lockwood & Co?”

 

George continued industriously washing dishes. “Lockwood, you start.” He remarked with a false air of casualness.

 

“Ok, well, hmm. I think I met you for the first time at the Archives, is that right George?”

 

“Yeah, that was when I was still working for Fittes. I’d almost been fired three times already though!” George responded, looking distinctly cheerful at the thought.

 

“Well of course he was wearing his Fittes uniform, and he looked much more put together than he does today. That silver coat _did_ look nice on you, George.” Lockwood grinned at George, who went even pinker. “We should really look into uniforms for Lockwood  & Co.”

 

“ _Anyway_ , Lockwood just walked up to me and flashed me one of those smiles like he knew he’d get whatever he wanted. And he asked what I was researching, I think?” George turned away from the dishes.

 

“George went on one of his long explanations of his psychic research projects. I think you were looking at how Sources are created at that point, right? I asked him what for, and he just said—“

 

“Fun. I said I was doing it for fun.” George scratched his nose. “I guess I haven’t really changed much since then, eh Lockwood?” I glanced back and forth at the two. They were so tuned into each other that they’d started finishing each others sentences. “So then we didn’t see each other for a while, but next time we ran into each other again, I’d been let go from Fittes Agency, and was looking for a job, and Lockwood pitched his idea for an agency to me. It sounded really fun, working without supervisors and getting to do my experiments, and that’s how Lockwood & Co. was born.”

 

“I’d been impressed with how dedicated George was to learning about the Problem, and I’d wanted to start an agency for a while, I just needed to find someone who’d balance me out.” Lockwood looked fondly at George. “Lucy, you know I’m the charge-straight-in type of agent, but George kept me safe by actually doing the research before we went off on a case.”

 

George broke in again, “Lucy, you’re just the same way. You two would be useless without me.” I nodded, agreeing completely.

 

That didn’t explain why they’d both looked so uncomfortable when I brought it up though. “So you went straight into being an agency then, when you saw each other again?” I probed. It seemed uncharacteristic of both George and Lockwood to start relying on each other with their lives if they’d only just met. _I’d_ certainly been examined and cross-examined before I was deemed an acceptable addition to the team…

 

“Ah, well not exactly.” Lockwood said, looking at George as if to gauge his reaction. George shrugged, so he continued. “We might have done a little snogging before we officially set up shop.”

 

“You what?” I blinked. That was not what I’d been expecting.

 

Lockwood looked thoughtful. “Quite a bit of snogging, actually, now that I think about it.”

 

“Lucy, you’re not going to be weird about it, are you?” George commented flatly.

 

“What, oh no, of course not. I’m just surprised, that’s all. I didn’t know you guys were, er…“ I trailed off, feeling awkward.

 

“Gay?” George filled in. “Well, not exactly, we’re both pretty sure we’re bi. It wasn’t serious though, and by the time you’d come along, we decided that being friends felt like the right move to make. You haven’t been oblivious to our secret _romance_ or anything like that.” George wiggled his eyebrows in a _very_ disturbing manner, and I couldn’t help smiling.

 

“So that’s how we met! Pretty funny, isn’t it?” Lockwood had finished his scone now. “Now you know how we got started. Now, I got a call about a Phantasm in Mayfair…” and just like that, we moved on to talking about our newest case.

 

* * *

 

 

That evening, I was curled up reading _True Hauntings_ in the living room, when George strolled in carrying one of his many notebooks and plopped himself down beside me on the couch. He started writing in it, probably about his most recent _experiment_ on the various sources in the basement. I glanced up, but he seemed quite intent on getting whatever it was he was writing, down on paper. I was right in the middle of a fascinating case involving a silver chandelier and a Specter, when George spoke. “You know, I’d never realized that different level sources reacted to heat in completely different ways. The Skull wasn’t really affected at all,” and here I laughed a bit internally, because I’d heard the Skull swear a gruesome death on George too many times to really call it _unaffected,_ “but look here, I’ve plotted it out, and Type I ghosts are completely _destroyed_ by heat!” he pushed his glasses up his nose. “Type II just react a lot, but I think that’s because the oven’s not hot enough.”

 

“Fascinating.” I remarked drily, and tried to pick up where I’d left off in the case. George lapsed back into silence, but this time he just stared into space.

 

He finally spoke. “You know, Lucy, I do have a bit of experience when it comes to being in love with Lockwood.”

 

“What?” I sputtered, “What on earth are you—I’m not—Lockwood’s not—in love!—“

 

“Lucy, be serious.” George smiled a bit, which if I’d been calmer would have been an event all by itself. “Anyone with eyes and ears could tell that you’re smitten.”

“George, I’m not _in love with Lockwood_.” I hissed furiously, glancing at the door in a panic. It would be completely mortifying if Lockwood heard this exchange.

 

“I think I know, Lucy, what it feels like.” George snipped back, “When he smiles at you I bet you get all these warm fuzzy feelings, which are _totally_ platonic, I’m sure.” He looked frustrated. “All I wanted to say is that I’ve been there, and I kind of missed the signs the first time around, but I know them now. It’s not so surprising, me being me, but that’s in the past.”

 

“ _George_ please keep your voice down.” I whispered, “or better yet, let’s just forget—“ I resolutely reopened _True Hauntings_.

 

George snatched it out of my hands. “Oh for the love of—listen for one second, okay? I _just_ wanted to tell you, that it’s totally obvious you’re in love with him. And the other thing is, that it’s also totally obvious that he’s head over heels for you too.” George crossed his arms. “Why are you always so difficult?” he complained.

 

I froze for a second. “That’s just not true, George. Lockwood is my friend. He sees me as a friend. He treats us the same! I promise you, Anthony Lockwood is not in love with me. He likes me, of course, because we’re friends!” I gathered up my blanket, tugged at _True Hauntings_ until George let go of it, and marched out of the room. I turned back at the doorway. “If you mention this to him, I will _personally_ kill you, understand?”

 

George just gave me a lazy little shooing motion. “Off to bed with you, Lucy.” He rolled his eyes at my expression. “Obviously I won’t. Who do you take me for? Goodnight.” As I left the room I heard him mutter, “Well, at least I tried.”

 

I was just passing the landing on my way to my attic, when Lockwood poked his head out his door. “Hey Lucy! I was wondering if that would be you.” He smiled at me. “I suddenly realized this afternoon that you’d asked me to help you with some of your rapier-work? I never got back to you. Do you still want to do that?”

 

I paused on the landing. “Yeah, that would be amazing!” I smiled back at him.

 

“Right. Tomorrow morning then, first thing after breakfast?”

 

“It’s a da…um, I’ll see you then.” I stuttered. Damn George and his ridiculous ideas. Lockwood was _not_ obviously in love with me. He was very obviously _not_ in love with me.

 

Lockwood grinned even wider. “See you then. And by the way,” he called as I started climbing the stairs to the attic, “you looked very cute sitting all curled up on the couch, reading _True Hauntings_ ; I could’ve taken a picture. The very image of an agent dedicated to her profession. Shame that George had to ruin it though, he’s not nearly as photogenic as you.” I blushed furiously, and practically tripped on my way up the stairs. “G’night, Lucy,” He called after me, the humor evident in his voice.

 

I didn’t respond. How was I supposed to act _normal_ around Lockwood when George was filling my head with nonsense like that? And I was sure Lockwood had only been teasing me. _It’s totally obvious that he’s head over heels._ That seemed just blatantly untrue.

 

I walked into my room and kicked a pile of clothes. It just flumped over, and left me even angrier. Why did George have to poke his nose in everything? _Oooh, what’s happened now?_ A nasty voice asked. _Has Lockwood done something stupid again? Or is it Cubbins? Oh it’s Cubbins isn’t it. Never a dull day up here where you all live, that’s for sure. Life is sooo exhausting…wake me up when you’ve stopped kicking things._

And with that, the Skull faded away, and I was left standing in my dark room.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I was very much inspired by  this  post by @lockwoodsghost. I was just thinking one day, about how they might have met, and thought to myself, you know, George is pretty knowledgable about Lockwood's emotions and interest in Lucy. Is there a particular reason for this? And then BAM a little ficlet was born! Obviously this is only a mere headcanon, there aren't actually bi characters in actual fiction...ha ha...
> 
> But I would like to say that in my hc, George and Lockwood weren't "experimenting" or anything like that, they were genuinely attracted to each other, but they realized that they'd work a lot better as friends, so they just transitioned into friendship, and had been friends for a while when Lucy came along. Also do you ever think about the fact that Lockwood and George were like, 15? 16? when they created an agency? They were so smol.
> 
> Anyway, it thrills me to pieces when you leave comments telling me what you liked, if you have any ideas, all that jazz. Thank you for reading!


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